FAIRGROUND rides could be back at the Pleasureland site this summer, the Southport Visiter can exclusively reveal.

Sefton Council has had “a lot of interest” in an advert placed in a fairground operators’ trade newspaper, and negotiations are now under way to base a temporary attraction at the 25-acre site, which ceased operating as an amusement park in September.

It comes just three weeks after the Visiter revealed Sefton had bought back the land from previous owners Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

The advertisement was placed in the internationally renowned World’s Fair magazine, the key publication of the industry for more than 100 years, asking for ‘a quality child and adult attraction’ to occupy at least part of the site over summer.

Sefton Council’s head of tourism, Tony Corfield, confirmed to the Visiter: “We are actively seeking a quality funfair operation for areas of the Pleasureland site.

“We have had a lot of interest from our advertisement in the World’s Fair. We are working with a number of potential operators to find a project which is acceptable for the council and visitors for a quality attraction for the main summer season.

“We have acted very quickly, having just secured control of the site, and we are working towards securing a partner for this operation over the coming weeks.”

The Pleasureland site is now a shadow of its former self, stripped of the vast majority of its attractions.

New life on the site will be welcomed by those who believe it is being made an eyesore by its previous owners.

One source, who did not wish to be named, said: “A small army from Blackpool Pleasure Beach was sent over to Pleasureland.

“They are perfectly entitled to take what is theirs, but the way it was done was basic vandalism.

“If you look at Casablanca’s now, compared to how it used to look, it looks like a bomb has gone off in there.”

A spokeswoman for Blackpool Pleasure Beach responded: “The council agreed we could take anything from the site which we needed.

“That is what happened.”

The search is still ongoing to find a partner to permenantly occupy the land.

Sefton Council chief executive Graham Haywood has insisted the council is seeking a high quality operator which can provide an all-year tourist attraction.